Brain Hacks

Melatonin, which you may know as the sleep hormone, can help protect your brain. Some research indicates that melatonin can help keep brain cells from dying, which is good news for people with strokes, Alzheimer’s, and other brain-cell destroying diseases. Melatonin is an antioxidant (it sucks up those nasty free radicals) and can help calm inflammation of neurons, which can help keep your brain healthy. And, of course, your body produces melatonin to help you sleep, which is good for your brain. For many years, people have taken melatonin supplements to help them fight insomnia.

One study suggests that melatonin may help reduce brain swelling in cases of traumatic brain injury, although the evidence is preliminary. It is also being studied as a potential treatment for injuries to the central nervous system, such as spinal cord injuries. A different study suggests that melatonin can help protect brains in people with Parkinson’s. It can also help reduce the effects of sleep deprivation. 

Melatonin passes the blood-brain barrier, so if you eat it, it will go to work in your brain (this isn’t true of all the good for your brain chemicals researchers know about). You can get melatonin from your diet by eating these foods: 

• Almonds 

•  Fenugreek (spice) 

•  Goji berries 

•  Mustard seeds 

•  Orange bell peppers 

•  Raspberries 

•  Tomatoes 

• Walnuts  

You can also take a melatonin supplement, although obviously it is better to take it at bedtime versus first thing in the morning. 

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, plays a key role in releasing energy from macro nutrients to all cells of the body. It also helps change the amino acid tryptophan into niacin, another B vitamin. Riboflavin contributes to normal growth, production of certain hormones, formation of red blood cells, and nerve function. The metabolic function of B vitamins (releasing energy from micro nutrients) is particularly crucial to brain health. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B2 is 1.6 milligrams for men aged twenty-three to fifty, 1.4 milligrams for men fifty-one and older, 1.3 milligrams for women up to age twenty-two, and 1.2 milligrams for women twenty- three and older. Pregnant women require an additional 0.3 milligrams daily, and women who are breastfeeding require an extra 0.5 milligrams. Riboflavin has no established UL (upper limit), but moderation is always best.

Foods rich in riboflavin include:

•  Beef liver 

•  Enriched-grain foods 

•  Green leafy vegetables 

•  Low-fat yogurt 

•  Milk 

•  Whole-grain foods 

It may not do any favors for your dating life, but piling on the onions can help protect your brain. A recent study showed that certain chemical compounds found in onions may help protect the brain from stroke damage. Onions are known to contain antioxidants that can remove free radicals (which are especially hard on your brain). Onions also have polyphenols, which are linked to improved cerebral blood flow and metabolism, and other flavonoids that help protect the brain against toxins. And onions are full of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate, nutrients that help protect your brain. So, apologize to your date and crunch an onion.

Vitamin A, an antioxidant, helps protect brain cells from harmful free radicals and benefits the circulatory system so blood flow to the brain remains strong. Vitamin A is essential to memory and learning. It also promotes healthy cells and tissues. 

Vitamin A comes in several forms. Retinol, known as preformed vitamin A, is found in animal foods. Another form of vitamin A is a group called carotenoids, which includes beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is the carotenoid most readily converted by the body into vitamin A. 

Foods rich in vitamin A (retinol) include beef liver, fish oil, and fortified foods such as milk. Foods rich in vitamin A (beta-carotene) include sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, apricots, cantaloupe, broccoli, and winter squash. 

Most supplements break down vitamin A into beta-carotene and retinol on their labels. Too much retinol can lead to headaches, dry and scaly skin, bone and joint pain, liver damage, vomiting, loss of appetite, abnormal bone growth, nerve dam- age, and birth defects. Even though beta-carotene is not toxic to the body, it’s better not to overdo it. Vitamin A has a UL (upper limit) set at 3,000 micrograms (mcg) or 10,000 IU (international units) per day for adults over eighteen. 

A preliminary study in the Journal of Neuroscience found that grape seed extract may help prevent plaque formation in the brain, which is associated with Alzheimer’s. There is also some evidence that it can protect against brain injury in the case of stroke, both before and after a stroke event, and that it may protect against neuro-toxins. Grape seed extract contains antioxidants, which help prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells. It also has other brain-protecting compounds and can cross the blood-brain barrier. Taken as a supplement, it is generally believed to be safe but should be avoided by children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, and people who are allergic to grapes. Consult with your healthcare provider if you’re taking other drugs or have high blood pressure or a bleeding disorder. Side effects may include headache or nausea.

Protein supplies the amino acids your brain needs to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which helps regulate moods. Put simply, you need protein for happiness. However, when it comes to protein, your body uses only what it needs and stores the extra as body fat. Eating large amounts of protein, especially from animal foods, can increase your saturated fat (bad fat) and cholesterol intake. It can also cause you to crowd out other important foods, such as grains, fruits, and vegetables, creating a nutritional imbalance. When your body digests protein, it produces toxic by-products. The kidneys filter these toxins out. So eating too much protein strains your kidneys. Also, consumption of excess protein requires more water to excrete urea, a waste product formed when protein turns to body fat. This increases the chances for dehydration and increases the need to urinate. Athletes need only slightly more protein than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Generally, non athletes need around 1/2 gram per pound of body weight, and most athletes need 1/2 to 3/4 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

Keep in mind the following protein contents of common foods:

• A 3 to 4 ounce serving of lean meat, poultry, or fish contains about 25 to 35 grams of protein

•  1 cup of cooked beans or lentils contains about 18 grams of protein 

•  1 cup of low-fat or fat-free milk contains 8 grams of protein 

•  1 cup of low-fat yogurt contains about 10 grams of protein 

•  1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains about 28 grams of protein 

•  2 tablespoons of peanut butter contain about 7 grams of protein 

•  2 ounces of low-fat cheese contain 14 to 16 grams of protein 

•  1 serving of vegetables contains 1 to 3 grams of protein 

•  1 serving of grain foods generally contains 3 to 6 grams of protein 

The best way to protect your brain from injury is to avoid injury in the first place. If it doesn’t kill you, traumatic brain injury can cause memory problems, thinking problems, seizures, paralysis, and more, both short and long term. Think about the tasks you perform each day and resolve to do them in a way that protects your brain. For example, when you’re driving, wear your seat belt and drive defensively. Sure, you may be justified in your road rage, but an accident (or a confrontation) can be bad for your brain! At home, use handrails, take your time going up and down steps, use an actual ladder instead of a chair. Falls and auto accidents are the two most common causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Striking or being struck (hitting an object or being hit by it, such as when playing sports) and physical violence (such as as sault) are the next most common. Sometimes the cause isn’t known or is the result of less common situations, such as warfare (where a firearms attack or bomb blast can cause TBI). Put your safety first and protect your brain.

An estimated 25 percent of people between ages sixty and seventy are deficient in B12, an essential nutrient. So are nearly 40 percent of people eighty and older. A B12 deficiency may be mistaken for an age-related decline in mental function, including memory loss and a reduction in reasoning skills, and may affect mood.

Some potential benefits of B12 supplements include the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, sleep disorders, and diabetic neuropathy. It is important to know that a deficiency of this vitamin can be hidden, and even progress, if extra folic acid is taken to treat or prevent anemia. There are no known toxic effects of taking large doses of vitamin B12, but neither is there any scientific evidence that extra vitamin B12 brings extra benefits. Vitamin B12 has no established UL (upper limit). To hedge your bets, take a multivitamin tablet daily.

Heat injury, also called hyperthermia, happens when your body overheats. Often this occurs when people work hard outdoors during hot weather, but it can also occur just by being exposed to excessive heat or by being stuck indoors in a room with poor ventilation. In such situations, a range of heat injuries can occur, with heatstroke (a body temperature of 104°F or more) being the most damaging. Heat- stroke is a medical emergency and the damage to your brain (and other organs) can be permanent. The damages to the brain can include problems with cognition, memory, and focus. Longer periods of exposure mean worse outcomes, so if you experience symptoms of heat injury, such as rapid breathing, nausea, headache, muscle cramps, or altered mental state, take shelter immediately and call 911. Cool down with a cool bath, ice packs, or the garden hose.

These situations contribute to the likelihood of heat injury:

•  Wearing too much clothing for the conditions. 

•  Working in areas with elevated temperature, such as around ovens. 

•  Not getting enough sleep. 

•  Using alcohol or illegal drugs, such as meth or heroin. 

•  Not drinking enough water. 

•  Traveling or moving to a hot place from a cool one. 

•  Being old or young. 

•  Taking certain medications (check with your healthcare provider). 

• Having certain medical problems, like circulatory problems, and heart, lung, or kidney diseases.

•  Being very overweight or underweight. 

• Having had heatstroke before.  

Avoid overextertion during hot weather, drink plenty of water, take frequent breaks when outdoors, and spend time in air-conditioned places. 

Also known as pyridoxine and pyridoxal, vitamin B6 helps the brain work properly, enables the body to resist stress, helps maintain the proper chemical balance in the body’s fluids, works with other vitamins and minerals to supply the energy used by muscles, and is influential in cell growth. Like other B vitamins, B6 helps convert sugar into glucose, which the brain needs for fuel. It also benefits general circulation, which can improve memory. Older people need substantially more B6 than younger people, so the older you get, the more you’ll want to add to your diet. Vitamin B6, in conjunction with folate (another B vitamin) and vitamin B12, helps to lower blood levels of homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 is 2.2 milligrams for men and 2.0 milligrams for women. Pregnant women need an additional 0.6 milligrams each day, and breastfeeding women need an extra 0.5 milligrams daily. Don’t exceed 100 milligrams a day without checking with your doctor; an excess of B6 can be toxic.

Foods rich in B6 include:  

•  Avocados 

•  Bananas 

•  Beef 

•  Carrots 

•  Chicken 

•  Fish 

•  Lentils 

•  Liver 

•  Rice 

•  Soybeans 

•  Whole grains